Property owners, builders prepare for Mother's Day storm

With New York City threatened with wind gusts of up to 35 mph, city building officials are warning builders, contractors and crane operators to be ready for this weekend's nor'easter.

While nor'easters are typically applied to winter storms, they don't necessarily have to produce snow, weather experts say. This weekend's storm is expected to begin Friday and last through Mother's Day weekend.

The building department is asking all contractors, especially those with cranes and scaffolding, to secure construction sites, buildings and equipment. Officials will conduct rand spot-checks around the city over the weekend, ready to issue both violations and stop-work orders where necessary.

Property owners, officials said, should consider the safety of their buildings and construction sites including cranes, suspended and supported scaffolding, hoists, and other construction-related materials that could come loose from exposure to high winds.

Structures that have been subject to deferred maintenance, or are in delicate condition, could be at greater risk.